World Read-Alouds and Live Animal Feeds

January Week 1

Topic in Focus:  Global Connections

Image acquired from: wradskype.weebly.com

Feature #1:  World Read-Aloud Day

Now this is a cool way to foster fluency and confidence in reading.  Engage your learners with other learners across the world through read-alouds.  There are two ways to do this:

1. 

   Image acquired: wardskype.weebly.com

   Tier 1 - Create a class read aloud video that can be shared via twitter.  Post the video using #WRADSkype.
2. Tier 2 - Connect your class with another classroom via live Skype

The world read aloud day Skypeathon will take place on February 16th.  Teachers need to register their classes by February 1st.  More information and registration is available at wradskype.weebly.com

Feature #2: Live Animal Feeds

Connect your classroom with experiences few can see in real life.

Image acquired form:dickpritchettrealestate.com

Eagle’s Nest- http://www.dickpritchettrealestate.com/eagle-feed.html

Watch a live cam of an eagle’s nest with eggs ready to hatch.  One just hatched today! There is one egg left.

Image acquired from: wildsafarilive.com

Safari Live- http://www.wildsafarilive.com/

Watch twice daily using live streams from the Djuma Private Game Reserve and the Arathsua Safari Lodge.  Interact with a zoologist while watching the feed using an integrated Twitter chat feature.  This tool is sponsored by National Geographic which provides viewers with animal research tools, bonus footage, and a direct link to the National Geographic Wild site.

If you plan to use this in your classroom or would like to partner with others use the comment feed below to share you thoughts.  Perhaps you can link your lesson plan or post a quick two sentence synopsis of how you plan to use one or more of the items featured in this article.

Contributed by Cheryl Kemper @CherylLKemper, Kyle Mack @ProfKyleMack and Melanie Zolnier @libary_techer